How do you know if u are depressed

SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA

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SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Also visit the online treatment locator.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.

The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.

In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.

No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.

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Last Updated: 08/30/2022

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Depression: what it is, signs, symptoms and how to cope with it

Fortunately, the diagnosis of depression is much less common than we use the word (but more often than our grandmothers think). Clinical psychologist Aliya Sabirzyanova

What is depression and how it differs in men women and children

Finished reading here

Depression is a mental disorder in which a person has a pathologically low mood, a persistent sense of guilt, loss of the opportunity to enjoy, a pessimistic assessment of oneself and one's future. It is not for nothing that depression is sometimes called the “disease of the 21st century”: today it is considered one of the most common disorders. According to the World Health Organization, about 280 million people worldwide suffer from diagnosed depression, that is, about 5% of the adult population of the planet. For several years now, experts have noted a trend towards an increase in the number of such diagnoses, and, according to forecasts, their prevalence will only grow. nine0005

In modern psychiatry, there are a large number of different classifications of depression, and first of all, this is necessary in order to more accurately determine the cause of the condition and more accurately choose a treatment algorithm. In general, two main types can be distinguished.

Women are diagnosed with depression more often than men: in men, the risk of falling ill is 7–12%, in women it is 20–25%

Endogenous depression occurs against the background of impaired neurotransmitter metabolism, most often against the background of complete social well-being. There may be mood swings during the day with improvement in the evening. The predominance of feelings such as guilt and anxiety is clearly noticeable. The perception of the future is often pessimistic and hopeless. nine0005

Psychogenic depression occurs under the influence of traumatic situations. During the day, mood swings are practically not observed: it is consistently bad. You may notice sleep disturbances: difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night. Feelings such as resentment, irritability, constant search for the guilty in their condition prevail. The perception of the future is always based on the hope of improvement.

Women are diagnosed with depression more often than men: in men, the risk of getting sick is 7-12%, in women - 20-25%. Scientists still cannot find a single reason for this variation. Most likely, this may be due to the fact that women seek help more often, as well as the greater influence of the stress factor and greater biological vulnerability, especially often occurring in the postpartum period. nine0005

Postpartum depression occurs in 10-13% of women who have recently given birth. Most often, it begins to appear 30-35 days after birth and can last up to 1.5-2 years. Talking about postpartum depression is very important, because in most cases in the initial period it remains unrecognized. Society still condemns and does not recognize postpartum depression or classifies it as a whim of a young mother, which contributes to the progression of the disorder and makes diagnosis difficult.

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Other differences in the structure of depression in men and women can also be noted. For women, loss of appetite, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, lack of strength, constant anxiety and guilt are more characteristic. Men are more likely to have a decrease in motivation, panic attacks, abuse of alcohol and other psychoactive substances.

In children, the occurrence and increase in depressive symptoms varies with age. So, in children 6-8 years old, sadness, crying, helplessness, hopelessness, immersion in their experiences are more often observed; 8-12-year-olds begin to change self-esteem, there is an expectation of failures and misfortunes. Adolescents develop feelings of guilt, self-flagellation, passive and active thoughts of self-harm. nine0005

Why depression occurs and how it affects the brain

There can be many reasons for depression, but it is important to note the main ones, which traditionally include biological, psychological and social. Speaking about biological causes, one can rely on the monoamine concept, according to which depression is caused by a deficiency of serotonin mediation.

The best known function of serotonin is related to the control of negative emotions. In our brain, there is a delicate work to maintain a balance between the centers of positive and negative emotions. Consequently, with a decrease in the level of serotonin, it already ceases to suppress those centers that are associated with resentment, sadness, disappointment, and the person begins to feel them very actively. Other biological causes can also provoke depression, namely hormonal changes (during pregnancy, the postpartum period, hypo- or hyperthyroidism or menopause) and asthenia (as a result of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19).).

Mild depression can be difficult to distinguish from sadness and melancholy, easily confused with melancholy or apathy

Depression can also have social causes. Violence in the family, constant comparison with others, the cult of success, growing up in a culture of perfectionism - all this leads to a high stress load, which can lead to the development of a depressive disorder.

Psychological reasons are largely considered the way of thinking of a person, his habits, stereotypes of behavior, which initially transmit a negative view of himself, the future, the world, which is always cruel and unfair. The trigger for the development of depression in this case is usually severe stress or a traumatic experience (loss of a job, death of a loved one, divorce or separation from a partner). nine0005

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Depending on the severity, three degrees of depression are traditionally distinguished. Light can be difficult to distinguish from sadness and melancholy, easily confused with blues or apathy. The set of symptoms and their severity do not yet allow a clear diagnosis of depressive disorders, but with a high degree of probability a person may experience depression in the future. This condition is also called subdepressive or subsyndromal (minor) depression.

A moderate degree is characterized by a distinct clinical picture, but a person is able to fully (or almost fully) function in society. And only the severe form is associated with pronounced symptoms, up to loss of functionality, delusions or hallucinations. nine0005

Symptoms and signs of depression

Depression can be successfully masked and at first appear only as physiological symptoms: drowsiness, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain (the cause of which cannot be determined by a cardiologist). All this should already be a reason to pay attention to your mental health. However, there are also characteristic symptoms that make it possible to determine that a person has depression. If you notice symptoms within two weeks, please see your doctor. Symptoms of depression include:

depressed mood, the main emotions are sadness, melancholy, anxiety, sadness, irritability;
loss of the opportunity to enjoy even what used to interest or bring joy;
frequent feelings of guilt that tend to increase constantly;
loss of self-confidence, the appearance against this background of thoughts about one's own worthlessness, uselessness and uselessness;
constant fatigue, feeling that there is no strength even for the simplest and easiest things; nine0054
sharp fluctuations in weight and appetite, it can either decrease or increase;
sleep disturbances, difficulty falling asleep, insomnia, interrupted sleep or, conversely, increased drowsiness;
recurrent suicidal thoughts or suicidal attempts.

One of the most common psychodiagnostic methods for diagnosing and self-diagnosing depression is the Aaron Beck Depression Scale. However, it is worth knowing that depression as a disorder cannot be diagnosed by the results of only one test, so entrust the interpretation of the data to a specialist. Based on your history, symptoms, general condition and diagnostic results, he will accurately determine the disease. nine0005 Photo by Getty Images

You need to understand that only a psychiatrist can diagnose depression. Self-medication is very dangerous, so the first thing that is important and should be done when you find similar symptoms in yourself is to seek professional help. The treatment of depression always stands on two pillars - drug therapy, which is individually selected by the doctor, and psychotherapy, which will teach you how to cope with various conditions and the factors that cause them.

In addition to medical care, you can start taking care of yourself: get enough sleep, eat healthy food, feel free to ask for support from loved ones, increase physical activity (at least 30 minutes of walking a day), stop drinking alcohol or other psychoactive substances. nine0005

What to do if a loved one is depressed

First and foremost, take care of yourself. In order to support a loved one, you must have a sufficient amount of internal resource. Track your condition, do not take full responsibility, relax. Seek psychological help if needed.

It is very important not to devalue the condition of a loved one and not to give him harsh advice. The phrases “Don’t be sad!”, “Pull yourself together!”, “What a depression, wash the floors better / find yourself a husband / give birth to a child - and everything will pass” will deeply hurt a person, and perhaps he will no longer want to share his thoughts with you. state or feeling of depression. Focus on actions, not words - you can help loved ones with household chores. Making tea, grocery shopping, or even just ordering a delivery can be very difficult when depressed, and combined with the occasional loss of appetite, it can lead to more serious consequences. nine0005

Support and be there. Sometimes it will not be easy, because your loved one can become irritable, sad, touchy. It is important to show that you remain there and are ready to support, despite the negative emotions shown in your direction.

The opinion of the editors may not coincide with the point of view of the author

Depression: how to recognize the danger? | PSYCHOLOGIES

152,417

Know Yourself

Depression is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy. It never appears out of nowhere. It can start with the loss of a loved one, divorce, health problems, or being fired. nine0005

It happens that depression creeps in gradually, like clouds on a once cloudless sky. At some point, we get used to the world in muted colors and begin to believe that it has always been like this, it cannot be otherwise. Some live in this mode for years, not finding the strength to ask for help.

The path to awareness

Many people with depression are not ready to admit that their condition needs help. They drive experiences deep inside, direct them to some external object, or become discouraged because of any little thing. This is the problem with diagnosing depression: it is difficult for a person to realize that the source of his constant suffering is concentrated in his way of thinking and feeling. nine0005

“Depression makes a person helpless, as if he can't swim,” writes Robert O'Connor, author of Depression Canceled. - He strains, tries to solve problems, but all efforts are fruitless, because he lacks the ability to stay afloat. With this disease, there is a real battle between different sides of our "I". A person is pulled down by shadows, spirits, aspects of the personality that he cannot cope with and cannot get rid of.

Most common symptoms of depression:

Reduced appetite (or its absence)
Strong fluctuations in weight
Lack of motivation
apathy, drowsiness, severity in the head
Social alienation, unwillingness to communicate with people
Avoiding activity, delaying affairs
Feelings of loss and helplessness
thoughts about death as deliverance from suffering
in extreme forms - suicide attempts

Methods for diagnosing depression

1. Zang scale. One of the most popular methods for diagnosing depression. Zang distinguishes four degrees of severity of the disease: normal (20-49 points), mild depression (50-59 points), moderate depression (60-69 points), severe depression (70-80 points). Pass the test!

2. A. Beck depression scale. This questionnaire, compiled on the basis of observations of clinical patients, is used in their work by many American psychiatrists and psychotherapists. Each question aims to identify one of the 21 typical symptoms of depression. Pass the test! nine0005

3. Self-assessment of Eysenck's states . Psychologist Hans Eysenck is known for his research on personality traits and states. He owns several classifications and tests to determine personality traits, including the IQ test. The Eysenck method includes checking for four key parameters that distinguish a depressed personality: anxiety, frustration, aggressiveness, rigidity (inflexibility). Pass the test!

Which therapy to choose?

How do you know which therapy is best for you? It all depends on the specific circumstances and on the correct diagnosis of depression. Some require a short, targeted work, focused rather on the restructuring of thinking. In this case, cognitive behavioral therapy may be the best option. nine0005

For those who live under the burden of years of repressed feelings and thoughts, who cannot determine the reasons for their actions, deliverance is not limited to obtaining tools or training certain skills. They want not only to know how, but also to understand why. For them, psychoanalysis may be the best option. This approach takes time, but it provides a deeper elaboration of the problem, starting from the very foundations of personality.

It is important to understand that depression will not go away on its own. Perhaps it will be possible to mute it for a while. But in a situation of vulnerability, she will return with renewed vigor. nine0005

“People suffering from depression must learn to live differently with themselves and with others: acquire new emotional skills,” explains Robert O'Connor. “It takes practice, consistency, flexibility. Instead of slapping the water in a panic, you need to master emotional habits, similar to the calm, rhythmic movements of a swimmer, learn how to stay afloat, feel comfortable in this element. Such people are usually excellent fighters, but to fight is to drown. It is better to try to make sure that the water itself supports the person. nine0005

“Depression Canceled” by Richard O'Connor

Psychotherapist Richard O'Connor, who has gone through depression himself, talks clearly about the main problems that a person with depression faces. He warns against over-reliance on medicines: they can remove dangerous manifestations, but you can fully recover only by restructuring your thinking and developing internal stability.

Text: Anton Soldatov Photo Source: Getty Images

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